The government has once again amended the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, barring anyone charged with crimes against humanity for their alleged role in committing atrocities during the mass uprising of July and August 2024 from contesting elections or holding any public office during their trials.
The amendment also states that the disqualification will not apply if the accused is acquitted or discharged by the tribunal.
This is the third amendment to the Act, two of which have been made under the interim government that took office on August 8, 2024, three days after the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024 amid a mass uprising.
The change came when the country was heading towards the next general election, expected to be held in the first half of February 2026, before the month of Ramadan.
Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced the tentative schedule during his August 5, 2025 address to the nation.
Trials in seven crimes against humanity cases for atrocities during the July uprising are now underway at the two International Crimes Tribunals and the leaders and activists of the Awami League and its allies and the members of the law enforcement agencies are mainly accused in the cases.
Of the cases, the trial in one against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now staying in India, and two others, is at the final stage.
Besides, formal charges in several other complaints against politicians, suspended police officers, and both retired and serving army officials over their alleged roles in the July uprising and enforced disappearances are expected to be submitted within a day or two, according to chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam.
The amendment, issued on Monday through an ordinance in the absence of parliament, introduces a new section 鈥�20C鈥� to the act.
Under section 20C, any person formally indicted by the tribunal will be barred from becoming a member of parliament, serving as a member, commissioner, chairman, mayor or administrator of any local government body, and holding any position in government service.
Earlier, the second amendment to the act empowered the tribunal鈥檚 investigation agency to probe alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Awami League during the July 2024 student-led mass uprising.
It also authorised the tribunal to ban, suspend, or deregister any organisation found guilty of such crimes and to confiscate its properties under section 20B.
According to section 20B, the tribunal may suspend or prohibit the activities of any organisation that commits, orders, assists, or conspires in crimes against humanity as defined in section 3(2) of the act.
Chief prosecutor Muhammad Tazul Islam told reporters on Tuesday at the tribunal premises that the investigation agency has appointed one of its members to investigate the allegations against the Awami League and submit a report as soon as possible.
The complaint against the Awami League and its allies, filed by National Democratic Movement chairman Bobby Hajjaj on October 2, 2024, is the first of its kind, accusing the Awami League and its 14-party alliance of crimes against humanity during the July uprising.
On May 12, 2025, the interim government imposed a ban on all activities of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations.
The ban, issued by the Public Security Division of the home ministry, prohibits all forms of publication, media or social media campaigns, processions, meetings, rallies, and conferences by the party and its associates until the trials of its leaders and activists before the ICT are concluded.
Tazul said that investigations against the Awami League鈥檚 allies will follow in phases if their involvement is found during the probe.
The chief prosecutor defended the latest amendment to the act, terming it a part of the interim government鈥檚 ongoing efforts to rebuild the country and restore order after the post-July mass uprising.
According to him, the constitution bars any legal challenge to the amendments made under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
As per Article 66 of the constitution, a person cannot be elected or remain a member of parliament if he or she is declared by a court to be of unsound mind, is an undischarged insolvent, holds or pledges allegiance to a foreign state, has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two years in jail unless five years have passed since release, or has been convicted under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972.
The 36-day crackdown between July 1, 2024 and August 5, 2024 by the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime left more than 1,400 people shot dead and over 25,000 injured, according to the prosecution.
Many of the injured were left blind or permanently disabled.
As of August 3, 2025, prisons are holding 165 high-profile individuals accused in connection with the July鈥揂ugust cases, according to the Department of Prisons.
Seven cases include鈥攐ne involving Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun over their superior command responsibilities in committing atrocities during the uprising across the country, second one against former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman and seven other police personnel over Chankharpool murders, third one against former Begum Rokeya University vice-chancellor Hasibur Rashid and 17 others over the university student Abu Sayeed鈥檚 murder, fourth one against former Savar lawmaker Saiful Islam and 17 others over killings of six protesters in shooting and burning them at Ashulia, fifth one against former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and four other police personnel, the six one against former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu over killing six people in Kushtia and the seventh one against AL joint general secretary and former lawmaker Mahbubul Alam Hanif and three other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the killing of six protesters during the uprising in Kushtia.
